1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a free stop hinge which can be stopped at any angle, for example, for enabling stoppage of a lid provided to a center console between a driver seat and a passenger seat, which are provided in a forward portion of a vehicle, so as to be capable of being opened and closed.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, between a driver seat and a passenger seat located in a forward portion of a vehicle, there is provided a center console. The center console in which an accommodation portion capable of accommodating small objects or the like is provided is widely used, and a lid is provided to the accommodation portion so as to be capable of being opened and closed. For the center console mentioned above, JP 2001-97128 A discloses a structure in which a lid (cover body) is connected to a console box main body through an intermediation of a hinge so as to be capable of being opened and closed. Further, for the lid, for example, also-called ‘free stop hinge’ may be adopted, the hinge having a structure with which the lid can be opened by being lifted by a hand, and even when the hand is moved off from the lid after opening the lid, the lid is not closed and can be stopped at an arbitrary opening angle.
A free stop hinge 100 of the related art, illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, includes a hinge base 110 and a pair of hinge arms 120 and 120 which are rotatably connected to both sides of the hinge base 110 through an intermediation of support shafts 130, respectively. On the both sides of the hinge base 110, bearing plates 111 and 111 each having a first shaft hole 111a are provided upright, respectively. Base end portion of each of the hinge arms 120 and 120 is provided with a bearing plate 121 having a third shaft hole 121a. 
On an outer side of the bearing plate 111 of the hinge base 110, the bearing plate 121 of the hinge arm 120 is provided through an intermediation of a resin washer 140. On an inner side of the same bearing plate 111 of the hinge base 110, another resin washer 140 is provided. On an outer side of the bearing plate 121 of the hinge arm 120, still another resin washer 140, a metal washer 145, and a plate spring 150 are provided.
In this state, a distal end portion of the support shaft 130 is allowed to pass through the first shaft hole 111a, the third shaft hole 121a, and insertion holes formed in the washers, and clamping fixation is performed by a nut 155, thereby allowing the pair of hinge arms 120 and 120 to be rotatably connected to the both sides of the hinge base 110, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 12, by a pressing force of the plate spring 150 which is flattened by being clamped by the nut 155, the bearing plate 121 of the hinge arm 120 is pressed through the intermediation of the metal washer 145 and the resin washer 140 on the outer side. As a result, when a lid fixed to the hinge arm 120 rotates, by the resin washer 140 between the bearing plates 111 and 121, rotation resistance acts on the bearing plates 111 and 121 due to a frictional force. Accordingly, even when the lid tends to rotate in a closing direction by its own weight or the like, the lid is stopped, so the lid can be retained at an arbitrary opening angle.
In the free stop hinge of the related art, through adjustment of a clamping position of the nut 155, the pressing force of the plate spring 150 is set. In this case, there is a problem in that the plate spring 150 has an extremely high spring constant. Therefore, due to fluctuation in the clamping position of the nut 155, the pressing force varies greatly, where a setting to a desired pressing force is difficult, and an adjustment operation is also not easy. For example, in a case where the nut 155 is firmly clamped, the pressing force of the plate spring 150 becomes larger, so free stopping can be achieved with reliability, but at the same time, there arises a problem in that a larger force is needed when lifting the lid. On the other hand, in a case where the nut 155 is loosely clamped, the lid can be lifted easily, but at the same time, there arises a problem in that the frictional force is weakened, so the free stopping is not achieved with reliability.